Television antenna



June 2,- 1953- A. LAGO TELEVISION ANTENNA 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 11, 1951 1 INVENTOR w 7 E m m A June 2, 1953 LAGO 2,640,934

' TELEVISIONANTENNA Filed May 11, 1951 4 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 28 Q 5 I INVENTOR latentecl June 2, 1953 UNITED STATES 'ATENT OFFICE This invention relates to antennaeand more particularly to an adjustable antenna array particularly designed for the reception of television broadcast signals.

It is among the objects of the-invention to'provide an improved antenna arraywhich can be adjusted to receive all wave lengths or channels now in use in television broadcasts and will effectively receive the combination of channels in use in any particular locality; which is-easy to adjust for selected wave length-sorchannels; which can be easily orientated for the direction of the signals to be received; and which is simple and durable in construction, economical to manufacture and eificient and effective inoperation.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from'a considerationof the'following alescription and the appencledclaims in con-innstion with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevational'view' of an antenna array illustrative of the invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the antenna array illustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional View on the line ii--3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a view similarto Figure 1; but show ing; the parts in a different condition of -adjnstwent from. that illustrated in'Fig'urel;

Figure 5 is a view-similar to'l i'gure 3;out-showthe parts in a diii'erent arrangement-from that illustrated in Figure 3:,

Figure 6 is a combined view of the two-parts of a two-partrod bracket for "the receiving assembly of the antenna array;

Figure 7 is an elevational view of the rod bracket when assembled with the rods supported thereby;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary cross sectional view on the line 8-45 ofFigure '7';

Figure 9 is an elevational view of one partof a two-part rod bracket for the reflector assembly of the antenna;

Figure iii-is an asserahiy View of the reflector rod bracket and reflector rods Figure =11 is-an elevational view of an insulated plate constituting a portion'of "the receiving assembly;

Figure '12 is a cross sectional view on the line lZ- i'li of Figure =11; and

Figure 13 is a fragmentarycross sectional view on theline 13-43 of Figure -1.

-Vifith continued reference to the 'di'awings,-the

antenna array includes'a vertically disposed meet it iii-the form of adength 'ofunetal tubing,- a

the adjacent end of thec-rossarm.

"the bracket;

had

crossarm II also formed from a length oflnetal tubing andsecured intermediate its length to the mast Ill'near theunperend of the latter by a U-bolt l2 extending around the mast and through spaced apart apertures in'the crossarm, a reflectorassembly l3 secured on one end of the crossarm and'areceiving assembly l4 secured on the other end of the crossarm; Ihecrossarm is substantially horizontally" disposed and is substantiallv perpendicularto the mast ii] and the reflector and receiver assemblies are disposed substantially perpendicularto the crossarm and parallel to the'mast.

The-reflector assembly lit-comprises a two' part bracket l5 th'e--two parts of which are in the form of fiat, elongated "pl-ates of electrically con ductive material, having semievlindrica'l socket formations, as indicated at iii, in each end there oi. When the two plates .01" the bracket are secured together in face-to ia-ce relationship three complete sockets of cylindrical shape are providecl at each end of th'ehracketwhich sockets receive endportions of reflector rods. Between the bracket" formations at the ends thereof the plates areprovided with spaced apart apertures and a U-holt l'l'has-i-ts big-ht portion extending through apertures-in the crossarm l-l near the corresponding end of thelatterand its legs eic tendin througl-i the spaced apart apertures in the bracket HELnuts ifi-heingthreaded onto the legs of the U-loolt-to secure the bracket against Sets of rodsof electrically conductive material are connected to the -bracket 5, one set at each end of the bracket and extend outwardly from Each set includes-a center rod I9 and two side rods 2iiand 2i which diverge sym metrically from the centerrod in adirection away from the corresponding end of the bracket.

As illustrated in 'lfiigurefi, the side rods 2i] and 21 are materially shorter'tha-n'the center rod ill, so that the center rod serves asa reflector for the longer wave length signals, and the side rods serve as a reflector for the shorter wave length signals. In the arrangement illustrated inFiguse 5-theside rods in and 2! have been omitted and the centerrods l8 are depended upon for the reflecting function of this portion of the antenna array. it will benoted thatthetwo center rods are disposed substantially in longitudinal alignment with eachother and are su'histantial-ly vertical when the antenna is in op.-

erative position.

"The receiving assembly M includes a mount ing plate 22' of electrically insulativeimaterial and of elongated, octagonal shape. This plate has apertures spaced apart along its longitudinal center line, as is particularly illustrated in Figures 11 and 12, and a U-bolt 23 has its bight portion extending through diametrically opposed apertures in the crossarm l I near the corresponding end of the latter and its legs extending through apertures in the plate 22 adjacent the mid-length location of the plate. Nuts 24 threaded onto the legs of the U-bolt 23 firmly secure the plate 22 in position against the corresponding end of the crossarm ll.

Brackets 25 and 26 of electrically conductive material are secured to the plate 22 one at each end of the plate and each of these brackets carries a set of outwardly projecting rods of electrically conductive material.

Each of the brackets 25 and 26 comprises two metal plates, as indicated at 21 and 28 in Figure 6, of substantially triangular shape and each having three semicylindrical socket formations therein and an apertured tab 29 extending therefrom opposite the closed ends of the socket formations. When the two plates are secured together in face to face relationship, as illustrated in Figure '7, the socket formations provide three cylindrical sockets, as indicated at 30, 3| and 32, and each of these sockets receives one end of a corresponding antenna rod.

The set of rods carried by each of the brackets 25 and 25 includes a center rod 33 secured at one end in the center socket 30 and two side rods 34 and secured each at one end in the corresponding sockets 3| and 32 and diverging symmetrically from the center rod in a direction away from the corresponding bracket.

In each case the center rod 33 has two spaced apart bends of approximately 30 degrees therein adjacent the bracket providing in the center rod an annularly offset portion 36. The center rods and the side rods are of substantially the same length and the two side rods make an angle of slightly less than 90 degrees with each other.

The bracket 26 carries a set of rods of substantially the same length and arranged in the same manner as the set carried by the bracket 25. In the operative arrangement of the antenna array one of these brackets is disposed directly above the other and the rods carried by the upper bracket extend upwardly, while the rods carried by the lower bracket extend downwardly, the side rods having their longitudinal center lines substantially in a common plane parallel to the longitudinal center line of the mast Hi.

In each set of receiving rods there are two links of electrically conductive material disposed one between each of the side rods and the corresponding center rod. In the arrangement illustrated in Figures 1 and 4 the link disposed between the upper side rod 34 and the upper center rod 33 is designated at 31, While the link disposed between the upper side rod 35 and the upper center rod 33 is designated at 38.

The link 31 is connected at one end to the side rod 34 by a clamp bracket 39 of electrically conductive material, and is connected at its other end to the center rod 33 by a clamp bracket 40 of electrically conductive material. The link 38 is connected at one end to the side rod 35 by a clamp bracket 4| of electrically conductive material and is connected at its other end to the center rod 33 by a clamp bracket 12 also of electrically conductive material. The clamp brackets can be mounted on the side and center rods at various positions longitudinally of the rods, so that the links may be moved to various positions between the associated rods, as illustrated in full and broken lines in Figures 1 and 4. There are actually fourteen different positions possible between the four links and the six rods, thus providing an antenna adjustment for each of fourteen different channels. With this arrangement, one set of rods and links can be used to cover the available channels above a predetermined wave length, and the other set of rods and links used to cover the available channels below a predetermined wave length, compromise adjustments being contemplated so that, if desired, each set of rods and links may be arranged to cover at least two channels.

The two brackets 25 and 26 will be connected to the receiving set by a double wire lead-in, not illustrated, and the crossarm II can be turned about the mast H) to orientate the antenna array for the most efficient reception.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are, therefore, intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed is:

1. An antenna array comprising a substantially vertically disposed mast, a horizontally disposed crossarm secured intermediate its length to said mast near the upper end of the latter, a receiving assembly secured to said crossarm at one end thereof, and a reflector assembly secured to said crossarm at the other end thereof, said receiving assembly comprising an elongated plate of electrically insulative material secured intermediate its length to said crossarm, brackets of electrically conductive material secured one to each end of said plate and each having rod receiving sockets therein, rods of electrically conductive material secured to each bracket and extending outwardly therefrom substantially perpendicular to said crossarm, the rods secured to each bracket including a center rod and side rods diverging angularly from said center rod in a direction away from the corresponding bracket, links of electrically conductive material disposed one between each side rod and the corresponding center rod, and clamp brackets of electrically conductive material connected one to each end of each link and to the corresponding rods, said clamp brackets being attachable to said rods at different positions therealong to change the channel reception of said receiving assembly.

2. An antenna array comprising a substantially vertically disposed mast, a horizontally disposed crossarm secured intermediate its length to said mast near the upper end of the latter, a receiving assembly secured to said crossarm at one end thereof, and a reflector assembly secured to said crossarm at the other end thereof, said receiving assembly comprising an elongated plate of electrically insulative material secured intermediate its length to said crossarm, brackets of electrically conductive material secured one to each end of said plate and each having rod receiving sockets therein, rods of electrically conductive material secured to each bracket and extending outwardly therefrom substantially prependicular to said crossarm, the rods secured to each bracket including a center rod and side rods diverging angularly from. said center rod in a direction away from the corresponding bracket, links of electrically conductive material disposed one between each side rod and the corresponding center rod, and clamp brackets of electrically conductive material connected one to each end of each link and to the corresponding rods, said clamp brackets being attachable to said rods at different positions therealong to change the channel reception of said receiving assembly, and said reflector assembly comprising an elongated bracket of electrically conductive material having rod end receiving sockets in its ends, and rods of electrically conductive material having end portions secured in said sockets and projecting from the opposite ends of said brackets.

3. A receiving assembly for a television antenna array comprising a plate of electrically insulative material adapted to be supported by an antenna mast, brackets of electrically conductive material mounted on said plate at spaced apart locations thereon and each providing rod end sockets with the sockets in each bracket at the side thereof remote from the other bracket, rods of electrically conductive material secured at their ends one in each socket and projecting from said brackets with the rods carried by each bracket extending in a direction away from the rods carried by the other bracket and the rods carried by each bracket including a center rod and side rods disposed one at each of two opposite sides of said center rod and diverging symmetrically therefrom in a direction away from the corresponding bracket, links of electrically conductive material disposed one between each side rod and the corresponding center rod, and clamp means of electrically conductive material connecting the ends of said links to the corresponding rods, said clamp means being attachable to said rods at dilferent positions along the latter to variably position said links between the corresponding rods.

4. A receiving assembly for a television antenna array comprising a plate of electrically insulative material adapted to be supported by an antenna mast, brackets of electrically conductive material mounted on said plate at spaced apart locations thereon and each providing rod end sockets with the sockets in each bracket at the side thereof remote from the other bracket, rods of electrically conductive material secured at their ends one in each socket and projecting from said brackets with the rods carried by each bracket extending in a direction away from the rods carried by the other bracket and the rods carried by each bracket including a center rod and side rods disposed one at each of two opposite sides of said center rod and diverging symmetrically therefrom in a direction away from the corresponding bracket, links of electrically conductive material disposed one between each side rod and the corresponding center rod, and clamp means of electrically conductive material connecting the ends of said links to the corresponding rods, said clamp means being attachable to said rods at different positions along the latter to variably position said links between the corresponding rods, each of said center rods having an angularly offset portion therein adjacent the corresponding bracket to facilitate placing said links in different positions relative to said rods.

5. A receiving assembly for a television antenna array comprising a plate of electrically insulative material adapted to be supported by an antenna mast, brackets of electrically conductive material mounted on said plate at spaced apart locations thereon and providing rod end receiving sockets, rods of electrically conductive material supported at their ends one in each socket and. projecting outwardly from the corresponding brackets, the rods carried by each bracket including a center rod and side rods disposed one at each of two opposite sides of said center rod and diverging from the latter in a direction away from the corresponding brackets, links of electrically conductive material disposed one between each side rod and the corresponding center rods, and electrically conductive means securing the ends of said links to the corresponding side and center rods and movable to different positions of adjustment along the latter.

ANTONIO LAGO.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,518,297 Ercolino Aug. 8, 1950 2,532,094 Gonsette et al Nov. 28, 1950 

